Greater Chennai Corporation resumes desilting of 1.13 lakh silt catch pits across the city

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has resumed work on desilting clogged silt catch pits at 1.13 lakh locations in the city as the rain has abated this northeast monsoon season.

Officials are strengthening preparedness as another spell of rain is expected by the end of this month. GCC workers have started cleaning the silt catch pits along roads in many areas. Desilting of canals such as the Buckingham Canal and Kodungaiyur Canal is also under way.

As silt catch pits along storm-water drains of arterial roads have reportedly been clogged, councillors have started demanding the GCC to clean the pits and clogged stretches of the storm-water drains. Residents have been requested to call GCC helpline 1913 to complain about clogged drains and silt catch pits.

Egmore ward 61 Councillor Fatima Ahmed Muzaffer said the residents at stretches such as Pantheon Road have demanded the GCC to resume desilting work of silt catch pits and clean clogged storm-water drains to prevent water stagnation during the next spell of rain. “Many of the roads have a large number of commercial establishments. The pits are filled and drains clogged in some locations as the waste accumulates in many areas,” she said.

T.K. Shanmugham, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Associations, said the desilting had started in Captain Cotton Canal and Buckingham Canal to improve preparedness for the next spell of rain.

“In addition to desilting the silt catch pits and cleaning of the storm-water drains, we have requested the GCC to complete minor work on incomplete drains. For instance, a part of the storm-water drain in Muthamizh Nagar 7^th Block is incomplete. The civic body has installed pumps to drain water from the incomplete stretch to the Kodungaiyur Canal. If they complete that unfinished drain, the water flow is expected to improve during the rain. This is an area that used to be flooded with over 4 feet of water. Over 10,000 families in areas such as Muthamizh Nagar are facing the risk of flooding,” he added.